Gears of War is the first game developed by Epic Games exclusively for Microsoft Game Studios and Xbox 360. Gears of War thrusts you into a deep and harrowing story of humankind?s epic battle for survival against the Locust Horde, a nightmarish race of creatures that surface from the bowels of the planet.

In this third-person tactical action/horror game, live and breathe the role of Marcus Fenix. A disgraced former war hero, Marcus seeks personal redemption as he leads his fire team against an onslaught of merciless warrior fiends. Immerse yourself in an experience so intensely emotional and gut-wrenching that playing will be like controlling a blockbuster action movie.

Gears of War utilizes the breathtaking new Unreal Engine 3 to create cinematic, high-definition visuals for a gaming experience that truly ushers in the next generation. Experience beautifully rendered interactive environments and characters so lifelike they appear to be made of flesh and bone. The next-generation visuals create a world in which the tiniest detail is vivid in the largest battle.

Gears of War unites next-generation technology with classic, emotional storytelling and a revolutionary tactical combat system, engrossing the gamer in a horrifying epic story of war and survival.

Key features:

Engaging and disturbing cinematic story: Massively scoped worlds, memorable characters, and an epic storyline play out like an intense and unsettling blockbuster action film. Dramatic in-game camera work and a compelling story bring the brutal, emotionally charged experience to life. Control Marcus Fenix and his fire team as you pit advanced human technology against the overwhelming and horrific Locust Horde.

Fire team co-op action: All game modes, levels, and scenarios are designed for cooperative fire team play (A.I. or human). For the first time, A.I. teammates are indiscernible from human players. They move intelligently, take orders effectively, and seek cover and defend themselves when necessary. Experience rich cooperative gameplay through unique characters that require cooperation to survive.

Unprecedented visuals: Gears of War ushers in the next generation with unprecedented visuals. The Unreal Engine 3 technology pushes high-definition visual designs and brings out the smallest details in the largest battle. Experience a rich dynamic world with an unprecedented level of detail. Characters come to life with unbelievable model quality and a physics-integrated animation system that has them truly reacting intelligently to events as they unfold around them.

Hyper-realistic and intense combat: The battlefield is a lethal place?to foolishly stand out in the open is to die. To survive, create and take cover using interactive and dynamic environments, suppress the enemy with blindfire, and use weapons and teammates to outwit and outfight terrifying enemies.

Xbox Live action: Gears of War will embody the next-generation Xbox Live experience and extend it even further. Experience individualized matchmaking, view player statistics, earn player achievements, customize your games, and build and personalize your gamer profiles.

Extract: I've rarely been this impressed by a video game. Gears of War--the single player campaign, at least--is a truly stunning and epic experience. The game is rated Mature 17+, so it's obviously not for kids, and the violence, language, and horror elements are indeed for mature audiences only. But the overall presentation in Gears of War is unsurpassed. It is a gorgeous, fun, and highly playable game, and one I'm eager to play again and again, especially in co-op mode. My complaints are few and all minor. The unique cover combat mode is fine, though the game overloads the controller's "A" button to a dangerous degree. The single player campaign is arguably a bit short, though the overall story is far more complete than, say, that of Halo 2. And there are minor bugs, though nothing as glaring as those in Call of Duty 3. Multiplayer appears to be a bit limited, though Epic could easily fix that with online updates. None of this really matters. You need Gears of War. You want Gears of War. Highly recommended, Gears of War is the game of the year. Read more